Core drill and valve therefor



May 2l, 1935. l.. BRADLEY 2,001,764

` CORE DRILL AND VALVE THEREFOR Filed July 27, 1952.;

if? j;

Patented May 21, 1935 UNITED STAT Coanpmrm AND vALvE THEREFOR- Leonard Bradley,Whittier, Calif., lassignor to Howard W. Stepp, Whittier,-Calif.

v ,I Applieation July 27, 1932, serialNo. 625,145

1 claim. ((1255-72) I This invention relates to well drilling tools,

.and relates more particularly to core-drills. It H is a general object of the present invention to provide an improved core drill in which is em- 5 bodied a simple, practical and particularly dei pendable valve means in` connection with the inner barrel or core barrel. l

Core drills forobtaining cores or samples of the formation in a well bore usuallyembody an inner barrel provided at its upper end with 'a valve. The valve `on the upper end of the inner barrel is provided to permit fluid to disycharge from the upper end of the inner barrel as the core is being taken, and to prevent the circulation fluid from entering the inner barrel and `-from washing against the core. The types of lcore drills in general use embody ball valves on the upper end of the inner barrel consisting fof a seat, a ball to cooperate with the seat, and 'a cage for holding or containing the ball. In the class of valve just mentioned, the opening in the valve seat and the openings in the cage are comparatively small and* pieceslof dbris in the well often become lodged in the cage-and valve seat and prevent closing of the valve.v this occurs, the circulation'fluid is free to pass down into the inner barrel and to wash against l the core and sometimes destroys orpartially del stroys the core. l A

An object of the present invention is to provide a core drill involving a novel and improved f combination and arrangement of parts `and including a particularly effective and dependable valve means on the innerbarrel or core barrel.`

1 It is another object of the invention toprovide I a core drillof the character mentioned including a valve on the inner `corre receiving barrel that cannot be held open or be rendered inoperative l by the presence of dbris thatmight pass -up-` wardly in the barrel.

It is another object of. theinvention `to pro-` vide a core drill including a valve on-the core 0 barrel that provides an Aopening of maximum capacity between the valve member and the valve seat when the valve member is in the open position so that there is little or no danger of an object or piece of dbris holding the valve.

It is another object of the invention to provide a core drill of the character mentioned that includes a valve on the upper end of the core receiving barrelI having means for straining the vfluid that passes upwardly through it.

1 It is another "object of the present inventionV to provide a valve of the, character mentioned Vpass* through the valve and will not hold the When - for use on a core barrel thatdoes not include a cage or other structure liable to catch or hold objects that may be capable of holding the valve memberin the open position.v

It is another object of the inventionV to pro-I 5 vide a valve for use in connection with a core drill in whichthe valve member is shapedv and arranged so that comparatively large objects may valve member in the open position. l 10 A further object of the invention is to provide a valve for use in connection with a core drill that is particularly simple and inexpensive of manufacture.

Further objects and features of the invention` will be best andmore fully understood from the I following detailed description of typical forms and applications of the invention, Athroughout which description reference will be had to the accompanying drawing, in which: n

Fig. 1 is a central longitudinal detailedsectional view of the core barrel provided by the present invention illustrating one embodiment of the valve. (Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical detailedsectional view of the valve with the valve member in l25 elevation. Fig. 3 is a transverse detailed sectional view taken as indicated by line 3-3 on Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 illustrating a modied type of fluid straining. means, and Fig."5 is a transverse sectional view taken substantiallyasy indicated by line 5-5 on Fig. 4.

Y on` the lower end of the barrel I0.' an inner barrel II, and a valve means I2 on the upper end 01235 the inner barrel. i The outer barrel Ill is adapted to be attached to the lower end of an operating string of drill pipe, or the like. In theparticular case illustrated in the drawing, 4a shouldered connecting member' I3 4 0 is provided to facilitate connection vof the ,outer barrel IU with the operating string.` A subior connecting member I4 connects the cutter head I I Vwith-the lower end of the outer barrel I0. `The cutter head 9 is provided to make an annular cut 45 l in the formation and includes a pluralityof cutting blades I5. The cutter head 9 is tubular, having an opening I6 adapted to pass the core n formed by the cutters I5 upwardly into the inner barrel II. The inner barrel Il is provided to re-44 ceive and hold `the core as the tool is fed downwardly into the formation. The inner barrel or corebarrel II is arranged within the outer barrel III and` is connected with the cutter head. The lower end of the inner barrel II isscrew- ,65

Vshoulder 2l in the body 2l.

provided on the upper end of the body 2I to ref the seat 25. pitch or inclination asv the seat 2t so that it is threaded into the upper end of the opening I6 in the cutter head 9. The inner barrel II is proportioned so that it is spaced from theinner walls of the outer barrel I and the circulation fluid passes downwardly around the inner barrel and discharges from spaced openings I 8 in the cutter head 9. A suitable core catcher I9 is arranged within the opening I 6, and the cutter head. The core catcher I9 has spring lingers 28 adapted 1.30 bite into the core when the tool is raised, to break the core away from the formation and to support the core in the inner barrel II.

' Ihe valve means I2 includes generally, a seat member or body 2| on the upperend ofthe. inner barrel II, a valve member 22, and means 23 for straining fluid passed upwardly through the body The seat member or body 2| is a simple inte. gral part attached to the upper end of the core barrel II. The body2l is tubular having a central longitudinal opening or iuid passage 24. In accordance with the'broadcr principles of the invention, the body 2l may be attached to the inner barrel I I in any suitable manner. In the particular ease illustrated in the drawing, the body I2 is screw threaded on to the upper end of the :barrel I I. Y The lower end portion of the opening 24 isof substantially the same diameter as the opening in the core barrel II, and is provided at its upper end ywith a reduced or restricted portion 25 providing a downwardly facing annular A valve seat 26 is ceive or cooperate with the valve member 22. The seat 2S is tapered downwardly and inwardly and is annular surrounding the upper end of the body opening. If desired or found practical, the upper end portion `ofthe body 2I may be of reduced external diameter as illustrated throughout .the drawing,

' out of engagement with the seat 26 upon fluid within the inner barrel Il vbeing forced upwardly when the core enters its lower end. The valve member 22 may be a solid integral part of round cross section. A frustoeconical orA downwardly and inwardly tapered lower end face 29 is provided on the valve member 22 to cooperate with The valve face 29 is ofthe same adapted to effectively seal with the seat. The

valve face 29 is comparatively long, extending.

downwardly in the opening 25 for a considerable distance and terminating in a downwardly extending stem 3U. the seat 26, the valve face 29 is adapted to en- In addition to sealing with gage the seat when the valve is in the open posi- 1 tion, to permit the valve member 22 to swing,

rotate or tilt at will. Due to the taper or in- *clination of the valve face 29 and the seatA 26,

the valve member 22 automatically centers itself when moving' to the closed position. A cylindrical outwardly projecting shoulder 3l may be provided on the valve I2 immediately above the face 2S. `The head or upper end portion 22 of the Valve member 22 may taper upwardly and inwardly from the shoulder 3l and may ter- Y minata in a reduced lug S3. The valve member 22- formed' as described above, is of sunicient Vweight tov properly seal with the seat 26, and to automatically center itself on the seat, The

- ings 36 is provided in the stop member 35.

yand the valve member 22 is in the open position or is moving to the open position. The means 23 lalso acts to limit the upward movement of the valve member 22. In accordance with the invention, the means 23 is connected with the valve member 22 and includes a straining member and a stop member attached to the stem 30. In the particular form of the invention being described, the member 35 is in the nature of a perforated or cut out disc and is rigidly attached to the stem 3E). The stop member 35 is preferably permanently attached to the lower end of the stem 39. A plurality of equally spaced openopenings 36 extend into the `member 35 from its periphery and are comparatively large. In the particular case illustrated in the drawing, there are three openings '32 in the stop member 35 spaced apart so as to provide three like radial arms 3l. The outer edges of the arms 3? are adapted to slidably engage the walls of the opening 2&3 and are tapered or rounded as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawing to permit the valve member 22 to tilt and swing at will.

engagement with the downwardly facing shoulder 21 to limit the upward movement of the Valve member 22. The openings 35 in the stop member 35 are suiliciently large to pass the:

necessary or desired quantity of fluid, but the arms 3l are shaped and proportioned so as to prevent large objects from passing upwardly into the opening 25.

The stem Sii is formed suciently lonfr to perfv mit considerable upward movement of the valve member 22 from its seat 2E so that a. space of large capacity is provided between the valve member and the seat when the valve is in the eXtreme up or open position. Due to this proportioning, objects that may pass through the openings 36 of the stop member are also free to pass outwardly between the valve member 22 and the seat 26. Further, the tapering lower end 29 of the valve and the tapering seat 26" allow the valve member 22 to tilt to various positions and to provide for a maximum opening lbetween the valve member and the seat 26. The

lower end portion 29 of the valve is smooth and tapering so that there is no tendency for dbris to become caught between it and the valve seat.

During operation of the core drill, circulation fluid is passed downwardly through it under pressure to discharge from the openings I8 in the cutter head. The core drill is rotated through the operating string to which it is connected so that the cutter head advances into the formation, forming a cylindrical core which is received. by the inner barrel I I. As the core passes into the inner barrel I I, the fluid, cuttings, and debris that may be trapped in the core bar- `rel are forced upwardly through it. Upon the pressure in the upper end of the core barrel II Thev The uppery a 'faces of the arms 3l are attached to come into upwardly through the opening 25. The valvev member 22 is free to tilt lor swing at will, `and has considerable vertical movement so that a passage of large capacity is provided between it and the valve seat 26. The stop member 35 engages the shoulder 21 to limit `upward movement of the valve member 22 and tc positively prevent displacement o'f the valve member. Further, the arms 31 of the stop member operate to prevent the larger pieces of dbris from entering the` valve opening 25 and from becoming lodged between the valve member 22 and the seat 26. In this manner, fluid is permited to freely pass out of the valve but any large objects that may be trapped in the inner barrel are prevented from interfering 'with the action of the valve member 22.

Afterthe core has been taken the valve member 22 is free to close. The valve member 22 is comparatively heavy and its lower face 29 is shaped so that it automatically falls to its proper central position in engagement with the seat 26 Where it closes the inner barrel |I `against the downwardly flowing circulation fluid. It is to be noted that the valve means I2 embodied in the core drill does not involve any cages or other parts that are liable to catch or yhold dbris that may hold the valve open. The valve means there l fore is particularly eiective and dependable, and

protects the core against the action of the circulation iiuid.

The form of the valve means illustrated in Figs.

4' and 5 of the drawingembodies a modified type of strainer and a stop means 50. 'In this embodiment of the invention, .the body 2 la and the valveV member 22a may be similar toor identical with the body 2| and the valve 22 described above.

i The valve member 22a is provided at its lower end with a downwardly and inwardly tapering valve face 29e adapted to cooperate with a seat 26a at the upper end` of the `body to preventthe passage of circulation rluid downwardly into the body opening 24a. A central stem 30a `projects downwardly from the lower end of the valve member 22 and extends below the shoulder 21 when the valve is in the closedposition.

The stop means and straining means 50 is integral with the stem 3 le. The means 50 includes a laterally or radially projecting offset stem pori tion 5| and a split or bifurcated stem portion 52. Before the valve member 22a is assembled on the body 2|a, the bifurcated lower end portion 52 of the stem is bent downward from the offset porltion 5| as indicated by the broken lines in Fig. 4 of the drawing. When the lower bifurcated portion 52 of the stem is bent in this manner, it may be passed downwardly through the reduced portion 25EL of the body opening when the member 22a is being 'arranged or assembled on the body opening. After the stem 302*V has .been arranged within the body, the split lower end portion 52 of the stem is bent upwardly to the substantially horizontal position illustrated in the full lines in Fig. -4 of the drawing. The valve means is then ready for use, and the valve member 22 is positively held against displacement `from the body 2|.

The offset stem portion 5| and the ends of the arms A and B of the bifurcated part 52 are adapted to come into engagement with the shoulder 2'|a during opening of the valve to limit upward movement of the valve member 22a. The valve member 22E is permitted to rotate or tilt at will, and operates in the same manner as the valve member 22 described above. The split portion `52 of the stem is operable to prevent any large objects from passing upwardly into the body opening where they might interfere with the operation of the valve member 22a. The form of valve means illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawing is particularly simple and inexpensive of manufacture and is very dependable and eilicientin operation.`

Having described only typical preferred forms of my invention, I do not wish to limit myself to the specific details set forth, but wish to reserve to myself any changes or variations that may appear to those skilled in the art or fall within the scope of the following claim.

Having described my invention, I claim:

In a core drill on the lower endof a drilling string, having a core receiving barrel open at its lower end, and Valve means on the upper end of the barrel operatable to prevent fluid from passing downwardly into the barrel and to permit fluid to pass upwardly out of the barrel, said means including a seat on the upper end of the barrel, a valve member cooperating with said seat to seal therewith, said valve member comprising a stem for guiding the valve member for limited i of the character described lowered in therdrillingV string.

LEONARD BRADLEY. Y 

